Cosimo Matassa

Cosimo Matassa was an American recording engineer and studio owner from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of rock and roll music, having recorded some of the most iconic songs and artists of the genre's early years.

Matassa was born in New Orleans in 1926 and began working in the music industry at a young age, first as a disk jockey and then as a recording engineer. In 1945, he opened his first recording studio, J&M Studio, which quickly became a popular destination for local musicians and record labels.

Over the next several decades, Matassa recorded and produced music by many of the biggest names in rock and roll and R&B, including Little Richard, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis, among many others. He was known for his skill as a recording engineer and his ability to capture the raw energy of live performances in the studio.

Matassa's studio was particularly important in the development of the "New Orleans Sound," which blended elements of R&B, blues, and gospel music and featured a strong, syncopated rhythm section and prominent horns. Many of the records produced at J&M Studios went on to become hits and are now considered classics of the genre.

Matassa continued to work as a recording engineer and producer until the late 1970s, and his studio, J&M Studio, is still in operation today and is considered a historic landmark in the city of New Orleans. He passed away in 2014, but his legacy in the music industry and especially in rock and roll music history continues to be celebrated.